Kramer After Kramer

Kenny Kramer - The Real Kramer - Seems Unconcerned That His Derivative Celebrity May Soon Come To An End.

April 23, 1998|BY DALE KOPPEL Special to the Sun-Sentinel

Don't cry for him, Seinfeld viewers. The real Kramer _ Kenny Kramer, on whom the (Cosmo) Kramer character is (was) modeled _ will be OK. Maybe better than OK. Not that he wants this to be the last season of Seinfeld.

``I'm a fan first, an entrepreneur second.'' Still, from the moment the show took off, he has tried to capitalize on his stardom-by-association by offering Seinfeld fans _ and others _- a three-hour ``Kramer's Reality Tour'' of his Manhattan neighborhood every Saturday and Sunday.

``I think the demand for me as the real Kramer could be even greater [after the show ends),'' he said during a recent phone call from his New York City apartment. It's the same one he lived in when Larry David, the show's co-creator, lived across the hall.

Before the show made him famous, sort of, the 54-year-old Kramer managed the late Tiny Tim and had some financial success selling his creation, glow-in-the dark disco jewelry.

The demand for the real Kramer is certainly a lot greater during this period of pre-mourning hoopla as fans await the final Seinfeld episode on May 14.

During the past two months,Kenny Kramer has been interviewed by Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and Crain's New York Business Review (his picture appeared on the cover of the April 6 issue). He has appeared on Hard Copy five times. ``One time they wanted me to do a `reality tour' of Jerry's new neighborhood [81st Street and Central Park West) where he's just bought a condo,'' he said.

And talk about being at the right place at the right time. Who knew that scouts looking for juicy cases for the Judge Judy Show (the popular real-life court case program, a la The People's Court) were hanging around the District Court in New York City when Donald Iarussi filed a ``breach of promise'' lawsuit against Kenny. The disgruntled Iarussi had been a volunteer when the real Kramer was running, albeit briefly, for mayor of New York.

Kenny Kramer _ and Iarussi _ agreed to be flown first class to Los Angeles to have their case heard and taped before Judge Judy.

Kramer will be live on The Today Show that morning, and that night, he'll be at a big-deal Seinfeld party being thrown by The New York Times. ``I got lots of requests to be at Seinfeld parties,'' Kramer said. ``But this one at the Times was the best offer. I can't say how much. Just say that it's a lot of money to shake hands, say hello, and sign autographs, but hey, I'm a celebrity. It goes with the territory.''

Before it was announced that Seinfeld was going off the air, Kramer used to do about three radio interviews per week. Now he's averaging between eight and 12, he says. And then . . . ``Can I call you back? I have to do a radio interview.''

Coincidence? Or just the real Kramer being, well, The Real Kramer: A lovable hypster who has a real flair for answering questions. For example:

Q. You originally wanted _ even expected _ to play Kramer on the show. Do you regret not playing yourself?

A. If I had been the TV Kramer, I would have had to work really hard. My philosophy is: Hard work probably won't kill you, but why take a chance? I see now that not having been on the show meant that I was able to spend a lot more time being the real Kramer.

Q. You were invited to the taping of the final episode. What can you tell fans about it _ without violating the contract you signed to not divulge anything, of course.

A. Don't bring hankies. There's nothing romantic or sentimental about it. It's just four despicable human beings being even more despicable. You're going to love it.

When he calls back, it's time to talk about reality. The morning after the night before: May 15.

The real Kramer is clear about one thing: ``As of May 15, I'll be the only living, breathing Kramer. I'll have the exclusive franchise.'' That's something, he says, he's talked about with the other Kramer, actor Michael Richards.

``I wanted him to know how indebted I am to him for doing such an outstanding job of portraying me. And to prove it, I told him that if he ever needed a job, I'd be happy to hire him as a tour guide for Kramer's Reality Tour.''